For over 54 years, Camp Lion Maxwell has been a magical place for children, youth, and their families living with or affected by type 1 diabetes to immerse themselves in the unforgettable summer camp experience without having to worry about the management of diabetes. Camp Lion Maxwell runs the overnight summer camp program, Leadership Development Program, and the Family Camp program.

Camp Lion Maxwell was named after Lion Peter Maxwell of Truro, in recognition of the tremendous support of the Lions Clubs of Nova Scotia. Camp Lion Maxwell has been hosted by Camp Kadimah situated on beautiful Lake William in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. The camp has a spacious waterfront, large playing fields, and welcomed children from 5 different provinces this year.

On the surface, the camp looks like any other, with camper cabins and campers taking part in camp activities like swimming, canoeing, nature education, arts and crafts, cooking and sleeping overnight outdoors in tents. It is a camp where there are no barriers to having fun, forging new friendships, stargazing, learning to paddle a canoe or building your first camp fire, where diabetes is common, understood, and is not the sole focus of the itinerary.

On the inside however, there is so much more to Camp Lion Maxwell than your every day summer camp.

Here children, youth, and their families living with or affected by type 1 diabetes have a robust network that includes 75 staff comprised of counsellors, nurses, and dietitians. Behind these walls, they are creating community in a safe space, building self-confidence, teaching diabetes self-management, counting carbs, balancing insulin doses, providing emotional and physical support and teaching both tangible and intangible skills. All while encouraging all campers to embrace the limitless possibilities available to them at D-Camps.